(10) 



one thousand went over the fish way on the same dam in the first 

 year of their return. 



Propagation by the artificial method is an outgrowth of neces- 

 sity. A hundred years ago every stream from the St. Johns to 

 the St. Lawrence teamed with its thousands of shad. To-day 

 they have become so scarce that we are compelled to resort to 

 the largest fisheries in the land to obtain enough spawn to make 

 our work profitable. In the absence of any data relative to the 

 run of shad in our own waters in former days, I will state that 

 the catch of shad on the Potomac in 1835 was 22.500,000, which 

 contrasts severely with any season approaching the present. The 

 alarming decrease in numbers of fish, when brought before the 

 Congress of the United States and fully impressed, at once led 

 to the creation of a commission for the purpose of enquiring 

 into their decrease, and for the institution of measures for their 

 increase and protection; hence originated the United State 

 Commission of Fish and Fisheries which has been the great mo- 

 tive power and educator in this branch ever since. Twenty- 

 seven States are now actively engaged in restocking their waters, 

 and I am glad to say that with limited means we have made 

 a very decided beginning in North Carolina in two short years. 

 With the finest shad fishing grounds in the world, and many 

 secluded mountain streams yet full of trout we are ful- 

 ly capable of supplying every county in the State 

 with as many fish as the people can consume. In view of the 

 fact that the shad caught in our waters sell in northern mar- 

 kets before the run of fish has extended into their streams, and 

 since our sales there bring double the price of theirs by sup- 

 plying the early demand, it is very plain to be seen that in re- 

 stocking our sounds and rivers to ten times their present capac- 

 ity, we can supply every demand at home and bring into our 

 State thousands of dollars from abroad. As the truck-farms of 

 the south arc annually reducing the value of like products on 

 those further north, in supplying the ready demand for early 

 vegetables and fruit's, so will the fisheries of Albemarle sound 

 and other waters, in like manner reap large cash sums of 

 money from northern markets if the millions of eggs now an- 



